Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-16


edith, dear, tell me, have You
ever seen Mrs. Morrell-or anybody
PIT any powder or liquid into your
medicine or your food? Have You
ever noticed that il had disagreeable
,egfc. cra -cC'ncnt G.. 70 lcti5@.
"No. never" she answered, with
evident surprise. Her brain was clear
enough between tie paroxysms.
Never, Alice "
Just then tap sounded al the door,
and purblind old Dr. Stevens came tot
tering in, nearly upsetting a small Ia
bic, and seeming scarcely able to hold
his patients wrist firm in his shalIy old
fingers. | watched him with the mad
dening feeling that If ever two unscru-
uulors PRISONERS had the very medical
man most desirable in their caSe it was
these two. Mrs. Morrell came into the
room. as usual during his visits, and
followed him down stairs.
waylaid her later on in the day and
asked her what DR.. Stevens had said.
She replied that, unfortunately, their
darling was very i'll, but while there
was life fhvre was hope. Then, sum
moniug all my nerve, ] boldly asked
that + might be allowed to sit up with
Edith that night. She looked rather
astonished; then, thanking me warmly
for my "kind offer" declined on the
plea Of not robbing me OF my rest. !
replied that it was not fair that she
should have all the mght-nursing, but
all / got was very decided "No -
went away convinced that the dan
ger. whatever it was, was reserved for
the night. When the invalid was left
alone with her traitorous nurse in some
form the poison was administered.
docs Mrs. Morrcll sit beside you
oil night 2" l asked Edith next time We
were alone.
"Oh, no. She would if I wanted
her, Int ! don't like it. 1t fidgets m
to see her Besides, / generally sleep
pretty well the first part Of the night.
She puts on her dTessing-gOwn and lies
Oh the bed in the next room. ready 70
come if ] call her"
The mystery only seemed to grow
tie more inscIutahle the further | pur-
sued il. / went thoughtfully to my
room in search of a book I was reading
aloud to Edith, promising toreturn inn
mediately. is [ stopped to LIT the
volume from "A low shelf the one ring /
wore, which had always been a great
deal too large for me, slipped from my
finger and rolled away across the floor,
10 disappear underneath the hanglnes
Of NY large, old-fashioned bedstead.
Much annoyed and anxious TO recover
it-for il was priceless to me rs my dear
mothers onpagcmcnt-ring ! went
down on my hands and knees and tried
fo find it. hut in vain. The darkness
under the massive draperics was com
plctc, and ] could see nothing in the
shadow.
] looked round for light But there
was 10 gas at the hall, and my candle
stick was carried down stairs every
morning by the housemaid to r1appear
10 more until late in the evening, ON
the slab i'm the hall. ! scarcely liked to
uue for it. for my position disposed me-
fo trouble the servants rs little as pos
lhlc. al at once rocOllectcd that the
.audlcstiCls were never taken out of
Id.tb's room, and that | could borrow
one Of LGs. did SO, and lighted It,
and setting it ON the floor. soon found
my ring.
"Hov badly that candle burns, TO bc
ue," remarked toniyself as rose t.
nv feet. "Ihc wax cannot be good.
IicEeht was anything hut pure, beinS
of peculiar reddish color: and thn
fame eputtUcd .omuch that more than
once I thought it WAS going ont. Il
thc same time it gave of "a iinc whit"
-mohc.
stood watching the suffering flame
for some minutes, much puzzled, until
r remembered that the Invalid WAS
alone all this time. So ! carried the
candle. stil humino, back to her room.
10 explain MY delay / pointed ont
What ! had noticed, saying that !
tlCvrht the servants must have substi-
Utcd some inicriorarticlosof their own
for GOOD WAX candles, either from care
iossncss or dishonesty.
"1hc servants never NEEDLE with my
-andlesticks,' said Edith languidly.
..Iley are not sent down TO the kitch-
IN: Int when they want rctilling Mrs.
Nomcll puts fresh ones in here. She
AcCrs them in that cupboard; look, and
vCuU see.
| opened the cupboard for the first
.imC-for ! had never had occasion to
20 To- IL beforehand there, sure enough.
were three or four wooden boxes, which
proved to Le full Of wax candies, thirty
rounds weight at least. Before /
lC,cd the door again Mrs Morrell en-
.,red the room. / fancicd that her face
hanged and she turned pale as she SIN
me standing by the cupboard ; but if 50
Sic quickly recovered, and when made
cine remark about there being IA large
stock Of candles, composadly answered :
"Ncs: she found it best to keep plenty
-cady at hand, 50 as not to have to dis
mrb dear Edith by leaving the room to
,mch for lights in the middle Of the
night.
made no further remark, as some
hing warned me it WAS better to say no
morc, so I opened my book and began
To- read.
The next morning, as / was on my
way to the invalid's room about Il
o'clock. became aware of high voices
IN the hall, and came upon Mrs. Nor
rel and the housemaid, Jane. engaged
ma alteration. Jane, who was gene
rally a civil and obliging girl, wa.
lushcd with anger, while her mistross
vcs ralcr than usual.
VERY well, then, am, I'll 60
>or cwhere else where | shan be call
ID to account for every paltry little bit
of candle," said the housemaid as ]
approached.
"You know perfectly well that it IS
not the candle / care about, but ia
disobedience to my express orders, Jane.
A month to-day you leave my service.
on 90 to-day, ma'am | don't car
if | do lose months wages, returned
the girl independently.
every well. You need never refer
to me for character" said Mrs. Nor
rell, biting her lips, as she followed me
TO Fdiths room. She said nothing 10
me in explanation, beyond merely
stating that Jane had been very imper-
tinent.
| found Edith in terribly PROSTATE
condition, and ] could see that Or.